Black Hole Friday

I'll offer my apologies right up front, because I'm sure I'm going to offend many of you. I have always disliked Black Friday and all that it stands for. What really bothers me is that, what has become more important that the holiday itself, spending time with family and friends, or the tradition of being thankful and showing gratitude for what we already have, has become the countdown to more mindless and gluttonous consumerism. We can fill up those carts at Wal-Mart, Toys”R”us and every other major department store faster than we can fill up our plates at Thanksgiving dinner.

Just makes me all warm and patriotic inside, you? 

Black Friday, like every other marketing scheme, is really just that; a scheme, a ploy (and most of these items that you will risk your life for can be had at an earlier date or right after, I mean after all, these people are out to make a sale) It's a sad day when our insatiable appetites are filled by spending, and adding to our already obese supply of material possessions. These newly acquired possessions fill our holes only momentarily ~ then soon evaporate, needing a quick refill. In this article read how less can make you much happier than more.

I know many of you love it. You can’t wait to get out there in the rush and excitement of the season - the hunter/gatherer syndrome. But it’s really time to slow down, examine our lifestyles and the hows and whys of our buying into the material world madness. I just hope that before you run off at 4 or 5 pm on Thanksgiving Day to your nearest Wal-Mart, you might take a moment to rethink it. You might be saving a few dollars but you are feeding the beast and sacrificing the really important possessions, time, peace of mind, connecting with self, family or friends.

If I could wish anything for you, I wish you would slow down, find satisfaction and comfort with less things, and more satisfaction and joy by sharing your time with people you love, cooking together, telling stories, laughing, having a glass of wine and just being ~ just being.  Together. No price tags.